AudioRail works with any standard Category 5 cabling scheme. Any off the shelf, ready made CAT5 network cable or existing CAT 5 compliant building wiring can be used (UTP or STP, as appropriate.)
Each modular AudioRail unit has two RJ45 connectors. Switches on the front panel direct where to send the audio or from where to get it from.
Category 5 cable costs only 4 to 6 cents per foot in bulk. For example: (no affiliation) Home Depot, CableMAX, Cablewholesale, Computer Gate, CablesDirect, QualityCables
There are CAT5 cables that are designed to be more rugged. For example, Whirlwind EC-SPEC, and Gepco CT504HD or CT504HDX raw cable
Radio Shack's crimp tool (Catalog #279-405) is a professional quality tool that we have found to be as good or better than some other industrial quality brands, and costs $31.99. Radio Shack's 8-pin modular plugs (Catalog #279-406) come in a package of 5 for $3.89. Ready-made 100 foot cable can be obtained from CompUSA, for example, for $30.
For those who choose to make their own cables, our product user manual gives instructions on how to crimp cable ends.
Media converters can be also used to extend the range of AudioRail to 2km (1.2 miles) and beyond, using the same industry standard glass fiber optic cables that are commonly used today in datacomm and telecomm applications. Click here for more information.
AudioRail is not Ethernet and does not interoperate with Ethernet computer LANs.